Flames Within
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: One of the crew members harbors a powerful secret. The pirate siblings are separated by a natural disaster, and lose one if their own. An ancient prophecy begins and epic quest, and the Gift of the Seventh Son is the most precious possession on the island. But a dark force lurks in the shadows, threatening to being doom and despair...
1. Chapter 1

Flames Within

_We were in trouble. _Deep_ trouble. One way or another, we'd washed up on an unfamiliar island, with a ring of mountains on one edge, one of them being conical and ending in a point. It was this one that we chose to take shelter in. We climbed up the side to find a cave, which took forever considering the first possible cave opening was several miles up. We had all but run out of energy by the time we'd finally settled down in our new, temporary 'home', but of course something happened. We're pirates, for crying out loud; dangers amongst the most unexpected twists and turns are occupational hazards._

_But I never thought things would ever end up anything like what happened that night. It was nighttime, so Raz had started a fire, and I didn't know how she lit it, in fact I still don't. So I asked her, curious. She wouldn't tell me right up front, which was a bit odd, so I pressed. And of course it very quickly turned into a screaming match. Then the worst thing that could have possibly happened, decided to happen. The mountain blew it's top._

Squint raced out of the cave's opening upon seeing the tunnel fill with deadly magma. He could feel the heat even and see the glow even from a good two miles away, and was the first to react. Cutting off his heated retort to Raz, he turned and shoved at his brothers, pushing them all towards the exit. "FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE!" he exclaimed loudly, slightly slurring the words together. Upon noticing the deadly rush of soon-to-be-lava, the pirates all began making their way towards the exit, stricken with terror. All except for one. Upon reaching the cave's opening, Squint ushered his brothers down the mountainside.

Once sure they were all a safe distance away, he turned back to Raz. To his utter confusion and horror, the kangaroo was standing glacier still, watching the molten onslaught approaching her rapidly. The rabbit buck opened his mouth to scream at her to move, but the words died before being formed. Squint's eyes widened with shock and his jaw dropped to the floor as his sister's body was enveloped by the magma all too quickly. His senses were blanketed, heart pounding with fright at someone he knew so well suddenly being swallowed whole into fiery oblivion and instantaneous death. Numb with dizziness, the rabbit managed to register that his own life was still in danger, and so took a step backwards. That was all it took to lose his balance and send him tumbling down the mountain side, passing his remaining siblings head over heels, grunting and yowling from the pain, before at last thumping harshly into the dirt at the mountain's base.

"Oohhh..." he groaned, head swimming with images of his sister's untimely demise and his own physical pain. Soon enough the rest of the pirates arrived, grabbing Squint up and carrying him out of the danger zone as lava poured forth from the cave, dribbling down the mountainside.

"Squint?" Gupta asked, sitting the rabbit up on his behind and shaking his upper body vigorously. "Squint, are you alright? Where's Raz?" the badger questioned. The rabbit buck's head lolled back off his shoulders, hanging precariously from his neck as his wide, traumatized orbs stared into the night sky. The replay of his sister's death happened slowly before his eyes, replacing the stars for a moment. He sucked in a deep gasp, mouth gaping in shock.

"Gone..." he breathed, mind trying to process a way to wake him up from his melancholy stupor. "She's gone."

_I can't remember clearly what happened after that, only that a blizzard suddenly moved in. The island wasn't too big, so we traveled as far as we could, almost reaching the other edge. Looking back I realize the mountain didn't explode completely, but it shook and shuddered violently while we were escaping, and there were other caves that leaked lava. Now we have another new home; a clearing in a nice, safe forest where we can build a campfire and stock up on whatever weapons we make. That's what everyone's doing now, except for me. And Flynn, of course, as he was designated to hold me until my mind cleared. I just can't believe Raz is gone; she would have actually made a pretty good captain, had we reformed our pirate crew._

_Now what will we do?_

* * *

**Yes all, I am back with yet ANOTHER story. For all of you waiting on 'Changed', I confess it eventually ended as the springboard that launched me into writing my own book, and the plots are both very similar, so if I DO finish it will be after my original book is written. However, I have decided to keeptmy readers entertained with another story. My deepest apologies to all who are getting fed up with my many stories, but my mind is overloaded with ideas, so I figured I should just write them down and get them out. Before anyof you ask, this was inspired by the movie 'Frozen', but it will not be a carbon copy. There will be many similarities yes, but it will not be exactly the same. So, thank you to the two people who reviewed my last one-shots, and everyone plz review this firs t chapter and tell me what you think! :D**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestoryer**


	2. Chapter 2

Flames Within

Raz trudged sadly up the mountainside, heart heavy with guilt and longing. She had never meant to hurt any of her brothers, the only ones who had ever taken to her wild side. And yet here she was, hopping in one direction while they walked in another, back turned on the ones she called family. She knew how cruel it was to leave them thinking she had died, but it was best. It was safest for them, and Raz was bent on protecting her younger siblings. Still, it was lonely to be making one's way up a large mountain, especially during a blizzard. Her mind flicked back to a time when she was on the ice ship, feeling particularly depressed, and she had decided to sing one do her favorite shanties.  
Shanties of course did her no good in this situation, but perhaps a little music would lift her spirits. "The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen," she began quietly.

"_Well that's obvious, doorknob!_" she thought derisively.

"A castle of isolation, and it looks like, I'm the queen." she continued sadly.

"_Again with the negatives on the situation,_" the voice in her head chided boredly.

"The thunder rumbles like the blazing fire inside," she sang morosely.

"_Well, a bit more poetic, but still obvious,_"

"Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried."

"_I feel ya', sheila,_" the voice sympathized. Raz's mind suddenly traveled back to the deal she'd made with Gutt the day she joined his crew.

"Don't let them in, don't them see!" she continued, countenance turning determined as her paws made slight motions through the air. Protecting her pirate family was all she'd ever tried to do; after all, if had been her captain's order. There was no way she could tell them now. "Be the good girl, Gutt wanted you to be! Conceal, don't _feel_! Don't let them know," Here the kangaroo turned back to look down the mountainside.

The crew was gone; she was completely alone. "Well now they _won't_!" And with that Raz threw caution to the wind. "Let it go, let it go!" she sang, a smile gracing her lips as the heat that had been held captive in her heart for years was allowed to flow through her veins once more. Small bursts of flame arose from her palms, spiraling up a few feet before exploding colorfully. "Can't hold it back anymore! Let it go, let it go!" she continued, making one large ball of flame and tossing it into the sky, pulling her paws to the sides so that it extended out into a filmy dahlia flower, before dissipating from the cold.

"Turn away forever more! I don't care, what the captain would say!" she sang gleefully, sending up small waves of flame on either side of herself, weak enough to disappear after a moment from the snow coming down. "Let the storm rage on," she continued, thoughts turning to her crew. "The cold never bothered _them_ anyway." A new plan came to Raz's mind, and with that she continued on up the mountain, already two thirds of the way up. Her depression had lifted with her grand idea, and she was eager to see how far she could take it. "It's funny how some distance, makes everything seem small!" she sang, worries and cares swirling away with each note.

"And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all!" she continued eagerly. The crew was no longer around, requiring her self restraint, nor was Gutt's constant gaze bearing down on her. Heat swelled within the kangaroo's body, extending itself greedily after its years of imprisonment, slowly dwindling until it was almost nothing. She was now about three fourths of the way up the mountain, and stopped to press her paws against the rock. "It's time to see what I can do," she sang, prospecting excitedly on her plan after years without practice. There was a certain point at which a natural heat inside the mountain ended; the very top of the magma chamber. The mountain was in fact set to blow it's top very soon.

"To test the limits and break through!" she continued, raising the temperature of her left paw and plunging it into the rock. She met no resistance, and dragged her paw to the right, creating a divit in the mountainside. The molten edges instantly cooled in the snow-filled air. Raz took a few steps back, eyeing the rock critically. "No right, no wrong, no rules for me! I'm _free_!" she sang, voice getting louder as her happiness and excitement grew stronger. Then she slammed both paws into the rock, heating up the top fourth of the mountain to the point where molten cracks covered the surface.

Once gaining control of the fraction she desired, Raz shoved her paws to the side, dumping the unwanted rock so that it fell to the ground far below, halfway freezing as it fell. "Let it go, let it go! I am one with the mount' below!" she belted out gleefully, taking a moment to observe the newly revealed plain of lava. "Let it go, let it go! You'll _never_ see me cry!" she continued, sliding across the molten rock as though ice skating, stopping herself in the very center. "Here I stand!" she declared musically, stomping one foot into the lava and hardening it, the rock spreading out into a large diamond shape, from one side of the circle to the other. "And here I'll stay!"

"Let the storm rage on," she sang, eyeing the winter storm around her thoughtfully. Cutting herself off, she lifted her arms as though she were picking up a heavy object, which, in a way, she was. The lava around her hardened diamond shot into the air, swirling and taking whatever form Raz had in mind, before she released her control of it and allowed the chilly air to freeze it in the perfect shape. Soon her new home began to take shape in reality as it was pictured in her mind. Some of the elements were familiar, while some were straight from her imagination. And it was much, _much_ larger than her last home. After all, if she was going to be staying here forever, why not make it exactly as she desired?

"My power flows up from the furnace underground!" Raz sang, watching as the lava obeyed her every command, attaching itself to the diamond base before spreading outwards into a hull, rooms separating themselves below deck and a staircase spiraling above as access to the upper deck. "My heart is spiraling in molten weapons all around!" she continued, appreciatively eyeing every lava-made sword, knife, and other style of weapon that took shape and situated itself neatly somewhere of easy access. "My mem'ries come alive in just one potent blast!" she belted, drinking in the familiar aspects of her molten castle. Upon finishing, she spotted an open window that displayed the sea against the horizon line, reminding her painfully of Gutt and her brothers. "I'm never going back; the past is in the past!" she insisted, turning away and commanding a stream of lava to enter the window and block out the view. Then she allowed it to smother her body as before, when her family had been chased away. The blessed heat rejuvenated her senses a second time, keeping her body warm even as she allowed it to dribble to the ground.

"Let it go, let it go! And I'll rise like the break of dawn!" she sang, hardening the lava into a band around her forehead, extending so that it intertwined with her ears almost like a braid, which she brought forward onto her right shoulder. At the same time she hardened some of it around her forearms into gauntlets, with slits that revealed her violet fur beneath. Lastly she formed a molten, strapless wrap around her chest, thinner in the back than the front. As the auxiliary lava fell to the floor, she began moving forward, commandingp it to form a large chair behind her. The molten accessories glowed with cracks of yellow-orange lava, a testimony to the immense heat and power Raz was releasing from within. "Let it go, let it go!"

"That perfect pirate's gone!" she sang, commanding open a set of doors that opened the lower deck into the sea of molten lava surrounding the rock island. She hopped out onto the lava field, remaining on the surface as she approached the edge of the mountain itself. The night had ended; the sun was appearing over the horizon, and the blizzard was releasing a few last healfhearted snowflakes. "Here I stand in the light of day!" she sang triumphantly. "Let the storm rage on!" she continued, extending the last note in pure joy. Her new home was complete; an enormous, grand ship now sat atop the mountain, every part of it made entirely of igneous rock and the image from pRaz's mind. Her family came to mind one last time; no doubt they'd settled down somewhere safe, planning what to do with themselves now that their previous living as pirates had apparently been squashed.

A proud smirk graced her lips as she flung aside all worries for the ocean-strengthened warriors. "The cold never bothered _them_ anyway." she finished softly, before turning sharply and hopping briskly back into her new residence, slamming the doors shut with a snap of her fingers.

* * *

**And there it is! After a hundred times of listening to the song, (not literally, I didn't count) I have successfully put into written form Raz pulling a Queen Elsa. XD Yeah, hope you guys enjoyed it anyway! Thank you to:**

**MBSAVfan1**

**96DarkAngel**

**for reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review and tell me what you all think of this one! Till next chappie!**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestoryer**


	3. Chapter 3

Flames Within

A week had passed; the pirates had mourned their only sister's death in every activity they took up. Squint remained locked in his dazed state, as if trying to overcome the shock of what he'd witnessed. His brothers understood his predicament, and so left him in peace; whether he be in Flynn's flippers, sitting by the fire, or lieing in his designated bed. Squint's mind had always appeared to be wired for slow, painful, messy deaths; events he could instigate and direct. Seeing Raz get swallowed by a force out of his control within a matter of moments was an experience his brain was still trying to process. As a testimony to their musical interest, the pirates had used their free time to make instruments before anything else. Of course the rest of the week was spent making every kind of weapon they knew, but their first concern had been tools for music.

While they loved battle and bloodshed to the highest degree, the pirates also harbored a deep love for song, primarily expressed via shanties. No one in the group had spoken since Squint's fleeting words of their sister's death, as they deemed it the most respectful way to honor the loss in an immediate fashion. Now that a week had passed them by, the crew felt ready to form a proper memorial service. "We should sing at _least_ one song," Gupta was the first to speak that evening around the campfire. The crew members paying attention gave nods of assent.

"Perhaps one of _la mademoiselle's_ favorites?" Silas suggested. Gupta shook his head.

"A good idea, but all of her favorites are so..._bouncy_ and full of life and happiness. Not appropriate for honoring someone's death."

"I'm sure there are some funeral songs that we know," Flynn piped up, his voice for once _not_ overflowing with bubbly emotion. This of course launched the badger and petrel into an argument over whose traditional songs would be more fitting. Flynn simply stood by, wringing his flippers and looking on with wide eyes as Dobson snorted to himself, knowing neither of the arguing parties was anything similar to Australian music. Yet to the group's utter shock, it was their most violent member, their toughest warrior, the craziest hermit of them all, who dictated how they would honor their sole sister.

"Oh, misty eye of the mountain below," his voice rang out clear and mournful, instantly silencing the argument and turning their heads. It appeared as though the sound of Gupta and Silas's arguing had awoken Squint from his stupor, alerting him it was time to move on. The fire crackled as the rabbit pondered for a moment, gazing up a the stars as his glazed eyes slowly gained clarity. "Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls." he continued, voice heavy with uncharacteristic emotion. "And should the sky be filled with, fire and smoke," Squint paused again, although it sounded more like a part of the song than a chance to make up more lyrics. "Keep watching over Rasmussen." Another moment passed as the connection between brothers and song formed, and then Gupta began strumming his guitar.

The five pirates gathered in two distinct groups; Dobson and Flynn sitting so close they touched sides, while Gupta and Silas sat with Squint in between them, nearly shoulder to shoulder, all gazing into the fire solemnly, argument forgotten. "If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together," Squint began.

"Watch the flames climb high, into the night." Gupta continued.

"Calling out father oh, stand by and we will," Silas took up next.

"Watch the flames burn auburn on, the mountainside." Flynn finished.

"Hi-gh," Dobosn joined as the brothers sang accapela, before Gupta continued strumming.

"And if we should die tonight, we should all die together," Squint began once more.

"Raise a glass of brine, for the last time," Gupta picked up.

"Calling out father oh, prepare as we will," Silas added.

"Watch the flames burn auburn on, the mountainside." Flynn finished once again.

"Desolation comes upon us nigh," the brothers sang all together. "Now I see fire, inside the mountain," they continued, Squint glancing over at the place of Raz's destruction. Soon after they'd left, the mountain's top had somehow become dislodged and fallen to the ground far below, revealing a glowing magma chamber visible across the island at night. "I see fire, burning the trees," the five voices sang solemnly, blending in a way they never had before. For once they were not pirates; they were what they had tried to suppress throughout all their years on the pirate ship. Their brotherhood shone through as if it were broad daylight; for these few fleeting moments, they were a family. "And I see fire," they sang, drawing the last vowel out for four syllables.

"Hollowing souls, I see fire," The last vowel stretched another four syllables. "Blood in the breeze. And I hope that you'll remember me." A short instrumental beak followed courtesy of Gupta's guitar, before the badger took up creating the second verse. The lyrics seemed to flow out of the rough and tumble creatures, as if they'd always had a talent for making up songs on the spot.

"Oh should my fam'ly fall then, surely I will do the same,"

"Confined in mountain halls we, got too close to the flame," Squint continued, eyes going glassy as his mind drifted for a moment back to the day he saw Raz die.

"Calling out father oh, hold fast and we will," Silas took up his part.

"Watch the flames burn auburn on, the mountainside." Flynn sang.

"Desolation comes upon us nigh," the five sang as one, then launched into the chorus. "Now I see fire, inside the mountain. I see fire, burning the trees. I see fire," Once again the last vowel was stretched to accomodate four syllables rather than one. "Hollowing souls. I see fire,"

Four more syllables accented the last vowel. "Blood in the breeze. And I hope that you'll remember me." Squint then took the bridge up alone, surprising his brothers with his display of emotion. He raised both arms, placing one elbow on Gupta's shoulder and the other on Silas's, closing his eyes and letting his face tilt up to the stars.

"And if the night is burning, I will cover my eyes. For if the darkness returns then my, brothers will die. And as the sky is falling down, it crashed into our mournful grounds. And with that shadow upon the ground, I hear my family screaming out-" At this point the other four joined him once again, all their voices rising in volume and slightly in pitch. Their song echoed over the island in an almost haunting fashion, their sorrow thick in the atmosphere as their voices flew lightly through the air. One thought consumed all five minds as they let their barriers fall completely for this one event.

"Now I see fire, inside the mountain. I see fire, burning the trees. I see fire, hollowing souls. I see fire, blood in the breeze." they sang out, no different from any other time they'd sung it. Then Squint took over, singing new lines as his brothers supplied him with backup vocals. "I see fire,"

"Oh, you know I saw our Razzie burn!"

"Fi-i-i-ire. I see fire,"

"Felt the heat upon my skin, yeah!"

"Fi-i-i-ire! I see fire,"

"Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

"Fi-i-i-ire!"

"I see fire burn auburn on, the mountainside!" Squint finished. Gupta played a few last chords on his guitar, and with that a new song had a been born. The brothers each heaved a silent sigh, arching their spines back, then slumped forward in relaxation. The time to mourn Raz had passed; now was the time to learn from their mistakes and move on.

* * *

**And there is chapter 3! Since I ****have keep forgetting the disclaimers: There was a line from 'The Incredibles' in chapter one; chapter two featured the song 'Let It Go' by Idina Menzel from 'Frozen'; and the song featured in this chapter was 'I See Fire' by Ed Sheerane, also used in 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'. Thank you to:**

**MBSAVfan1**

**cookboss88**

**96DarkAngel**

**for reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review and tell me what you all thought of this one! Till next chappie!**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestroyer**


	4. Chapter 4

Flames Within

Raz confined herself to the molten ship she had created for a home, intending to never leave its immediate vicinity. Maybe the ship itself. She'd lived for years as a violent, frolicking pirate, and there had been some fun points to it, but she'd always longed for one little spot that the crew would call their 'second home', so to speak. Maybe it would have been that they only restocked their supplies at one port, or perhaps their own private island where they could stop once a year to relax on. The main reason she couldn't completely love the pirate life, however, was the temperature. It was the _Ice Age_, for crying out loud, so of course it was normally chilly to an unhealthy degree. But on the sea it had always been worse; the ocean spray that would sometimes find its way onto the deck always annoyed her.

Storms in which the crew was forced to guide the ship amidst drastic precipitation, sometimes in the form of hail, or sleet, or the worst of all, _freezing rain_, would push Raz to the point where she fantacised she was literally about to die. She needed heat, she always had; her gift, in reality, was derived from what was, plain and simply, a flame within her heart. Being constantly surrounded and assaulted by water was damaging to Raz in a way her crew mates couldn't understand, and it often drove her to the point where she was ready to give up life altogether. Gutt, however, had always stopped her. Raz could never truly have ended her misery, frankly, because she didn't have Gutt's _permission_ to die. The captain wanted Raz around, and the kangaroo couldn't blame him; she was a valuable asset, due to her weapon wielding talents. But her special gift had been harnessed by Gutt as a sort of 'secret super-weapon'; as long as he had a crew at his side and one of the most powerful creatures in the world under his thumb, Gutt could truly be called the Master of the Seas.

He could coud have become the Master of the _World_ if he'd tried, Raz knew, but was thankful his ambitions weren't that big. Although she was slightly comforted by the knowledge that _this_ would have happened sooner or later. It was clear now that Raz would never have been able to keep her gift in check forever. For if she _did_, it might have meant extinguishing her heart's flame. And if _that_ were to happen, Raz would truly be no more. Her heart could stop its pulse altogether, and her brain could cease to function; but if her flame prevailed, no matter what the rest of her did, she would not die. To snuff it out would be the only way to permanently end her.

Even if things hadn't merely come to Raz's emotions overflowing, if they had accelerated all the way to the point where her inner flame would truly begin to dim, Raz would have released her gift as an act of survival before anything else. Just raiseing the temperature, just pumping heat through her veins, just creating a few small flames every once in a while would have kept her from _ever_ reaching such a point. But Gutt had been insistent; while she was his greatest weapon, she was _not_ to reveal her gift to _anyone_. As the kangaroo stood in the main room of the lower deck, forming molten figures out of lava and fire respectively, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to a particularly woeful incident on the ship.

* * *

_Young Raz sat before a small fire on the ice ship, her powers being the only thing keeping it alive. The rest of her crewmates had long since gone to bed, but the joey had become far too cold. So she'd carefully left the group, tip-toe hopping to the other end of the ship, before sitting comfortably and conjuring up a cheery little fire. Raz smiled and sighed deeply in the heat of the flames, and the pleasure it gave her to be warm after a long day in the cold. The sound of a throat clearing from behind caused her to jump and whirl around, only to find the captain standing with an unamused expression, down on all fours so as to be closer to her level while still towering over the little joey. Raz gulped. "Explain." he commanded gruffly._

_"I was cold," the tiny jill replied, her tone fearful yet her voice unwavering. "My da' said to always make sure I stayed warm."_

_"Well your _daddy_ isn't here," Gutt sneered, causing Raz to lower her upper half to the point where she crouched on all fours, lip trembling fearfully. Her golden eyes blinked tearfully up at the captain as she desperately tried to come up with a way to keep her fire burning._

_"I-I promise it won't bothah' anybody," she replied, voice cracking._

_"Oh but it _will_," Gutt hissed, coming nearly face to face with her. Raz bit back a yelp and tried to stare him in the eyes. The warmth coming from her fire was the only thing that gave her courage. "You'll need more and more, and sooner or later you'll _melt_ this ship," he said. Raz shook her head as tears began to stream down her cheeks. They were warm, made of lava._

_"N-no," she insisted softly. "I wouldn't melt it,"she continued, voice hitching with sobs. She couldn't just not have warmth and heat; it was vital to her existence._

_"Don't backtalk your captain!" Gutt, snapped harshly, causing the little joey to jump once more. "Now _put_ it _out_." Raz's entire form gave a shudder, and she almost couldn't obey. Going against every instinct she had, the jill raised a paw, lightly curling her claws in towards her palm. The flames lowered a little, and more tears streamed down her face. She bit her lip as another sob escaped, willing that no more would come through. Gutt gave a nod._

_"Keep going," he encouraged. Raz closed her eyes, lowering her head in shame. Drawing up as much strength as she could, the joey clenched her fist tightly, extinguishing her cherry little fire completely. A great pain arose in her heart, but she suppressed it out of fear, lest she do something else her captain disapproved of. A few sobs finally broke free as she fell to her knees, placing both paws over her mouth._

* * *

Raz paused, clutching her heart as it ached at the mere memory. From then on she had progressed worse and worse; everything she did concerning her gift was no longer how to utilize it and make it better. She was forced to turn her efforts into the exact opposite of what they should have been; she encaged her ability at every opportunity, hiding it from her crewmates at all costs. Unintentionally, Raz had grown close with the group of gangly boys, and they had become like little brothers to her. At first she thought maybe the connections she was forming were potential outlets; she could secretly entertain them with her gift. But then a horrifying though had occured; what if Gutt found out and punished her worse than ever before? What if she messed up and _injured_ one of them on accident?

And then Gutt found out about _that_? And thus the misery had continued; Raz kept her gift a secret not only to protect herself, but also to protect those who had become family to her. She breathed deeply in an effort to calm herself, her paw releasing its grip and slowly sliding off the molten band around her chest. "_Keep it togethah'_ _sheila_," she thought, clenching her fists. "_You have to protect your brothah's, who...aren't...here..._" And with that Raz released her control. With an angry screech she summoned a mass of flame, throwing it harshly at the wall before her.

The fire harmlessly integrated itself into the molten wall, leaving a soft hiss in the air that lingered but a moment. The jill panted for a moment, before her face slackened sadly, and she turned away ashamedly. All those years of keeping herself in check, of avoiding her gift at all costs, and what had it all led up to? She was a monster, confined in her fortress of molten material as dangerous and temperamental as she was. It was good her brothers had left her behind; they were all much safer now. With a sigh she made her way to the double doors that opened onto the lava plain, and gently pushed one open. It only swung out a fraction, just enough for her to quietly slip out, and then she moved on to the edge of the magma pit.

Raz gazed out over the island, it's entire visage visible from her vantage point, one creature in mind. Well, actually there were a total of six creatures on her mind, only one of which having the ability to come at her call. Summoning a small flame figure in her hand, one that highly resembled a rabbit, she held it cose to her lips, shielding it with her free paw, and whispered a command. After a moment she allowed it to dissipate, then a small smile crept onto her face, and she stood, waiting.

* * *

The pirates had begun trekking back towards the mountain, although now it more resembled a volcano. They weren't planning to return, of course, just to find a new, better place to call their home. In honor of their sister they'd unanimously agreed to settle on the island permanently, and let their life courses take place there. Two days had passed with them travelling, simply waiting to find a place that beckoned their attention and satisfied their desire for a new home. Squint was slowly returning to normal, although everyone could tell there was a permanent sliver of fear tucked behind his eyes. The buck had always been entertained by squashing small bugs and chasing smaller creatures than himself, but no more. Now, if he came across a ladybug or a mouse, he would simply stop and stare at it for a long while, and eventually that sliver of fear would jump to the forefront of his expression.

His brothers tried their best to console him in subtle ways, but worried over him constantly. However, Squint had felt the entire time that they were being watched, and it unnerved him. Who could possibly be tailing them? Did they know he and his brothers were former pirates? On the third day, when the group took a Iunch break, Squint backtracked a few meters in an attempt to catch their pursuer. He stealthily crawled through the underbrush on all fours, nose scenting the air intently as his ears twitched to and fro, tail twitching just to complete the picture. He held his knife in his mouth, lips curling away due to its far back position in an attempt to keep the blade from pressing against his buck teeth.

A rustle to the left brought his attention to a large tree root. His green eyes locked onto the location, and he carefully slid out into the open, standing properly and taking his knife into his paw. He crept silently over to the root, peeking overtop as he came close. Suddenly, to the rabbit's surprise, another face was thrust into his own, and he met a pair of green eyes the same shade as his own.

* * *

**At last, chapter 4 is complete! The ending actually leads into something I've been waiting to write down and get out of my head forever. Wow, that makes it sound like I don't like the idea...but I think it's actually pretty good! And he'll be a real tear-jerker later on. XD Oopsie, spoiler...Anyway! Thank you to:**

**96DarkAngel**

**MBSAVfan1**

**for reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review this one and tell me what you all think! Till next chappie! :D**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestroyer**


	5. Chapter 5

Flames Within

Squint jumped back with an exclamation of surprise, eyes wide with shock. "What the..." he muttered confusedly. The figure remained hidden in the tree's shadow, blinking it's green eyes at him. Squint carefully took a step forward, holding his knife out defensively. "Who are you?" he demanded. The stranger remained silent, tilting his head quizzically. Squint's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Show yourself!" he commanded. After a moment the creature climbed up on top of the tree root, before jumping down to land in a squat before Squint. Then he rose to standing fully erect, and came exactly eye level with the other buck. Squint's jaw went slack with shock; the creature before him was nothing like anything he'd ever seen. It appeared to be a rabbit of sorts, with the same build and proportions as himself. The fact that the strange rabbit not only had Squint's height and body style, but also his very _eye color_, knocked the buck for a loop. It was almost like looking in a mirror, except for one major detail.

The rabbit before him had no fur and was made entirely out of molten, igneous rock. His innards were held together by plates of cooled rock acting as a sort of skin, spiderwebbed with thin cracks that glowed orange and red. Squint wasn't quite sure whether this creature was technically _alive_ or...something else entirely. His eyes seemed to glow like green flames, blinking in a somewhat innocent fashion. Even his facial features, which were outlined with lava cracks, were the exact replica of Squint's. Too stunned to speak, Squint merely lowered his knife and reached one paw, just to make sure his grief wasn't causing him to hallucinate. After blinking once more inquisitively, the molten rabbit did likewise, extending his own paw towards Squint's.

The two paused when they were an inch apart, before Squint gently pressed his fingers against that of his molten copy. Encouraged, the other buck pressed his own palm to Squint's, proving that both paws were the exact same size. "Whoa..." Squint let out a breath of awe. The molten rabbit didn't burn him in the slightest, but his paw was a deal warmer than any normal creature. "Who and what _are_ you?" he whispered.

"SQUINT!" Both rabbits perked up at the sound of Gupta's call, which intrigued Squint.

"That's my brother," he explained. "Well not _literally_, it's a _long_ story," The call came once again, and to Squint's shock, the other rabbit bounded off towards the camp. "Hey! Come back here!" he called after, before giving chase. Upon reaching the lunch camp, Squint was amused by his brothers' shocked expressions. He stumbled through the brush, stopping beside the strange rabbit and holding his paws up in a peace gesture.

"It's cool guys, it's cool!" he assured, before smirking proudly and wrapping an arm around the shoulders of his molten copy. "I found the guy who's been spying on us." he declared triumphantly, but didn't have the heart to trap the strange rabbit with his knife against their throat. As of yet the stranger had proved harmless. Gupta took a step forward, eyeing the molten rabbit suspiciously.

"What _is_ he?" the badger questioned. "Does he have a name?" Squint shrugged in reply.

"I don't know; that's what I was trying to ask him when you called." He then released the molten rabbit and held his chin in a ponderous manner, eyeing the stranger. "Although, he came when you called _my_ name; that could be a clue."

"But, why would he answer to _ton_ name?" Silas piped up, flapping down from a tree branch. Squint shrugged, then turned to his molten copy.

"Well, you got an answer?" he asked. The molten buck blinked, tilting his head confusedly. The pirate rabbit rolled his eyes and gave a sigh. "Your _name_; is it or is it not Squint?" he inquired. The molten copy grinned widely, opening it's mouth to reveal a throat bearing a fiery glow in the very back, and gave an eager nod. Then he suddenly grabbed his chin with the same ponderous expression as Squint had, which the pirates found just a tad freakish. The molten Squint held up two claws, holding them up for the crew to see.

"You're Squint the...Second?" Gupta inquired. The lava buck nodded, before seeming to think deeply once more. He held two claws up to his lips, one from each paw, and moved them away from his face together. Once his paws were at a satisfactory distance, he separated them. For a moment the pirates puzzled over what he was trying to say, with the lava buck repeating the action several times.

"In a...different...speak? No wait, a different language?" Squint guessed. His molten version nodded happily. "So what, Squint _dos_?" he tried.

"_Du'i_?" Gupta guessed.

"_Deux_?" Silas offered. The lava buck pointed at him excitedly, nodding vigorously.

"So your Squint _Deux_?" Squint the pirate inquired. His molten copy nodded gleefully, grinning. Squint shrugged and smiled back. "Not bad; it's got a nice ring to it," he said. His brothers agreed. "But...doesn't that mean you would have come after a Squint _uno_ of sorts?" he asked. His molten copy nodded.

"Where did you come from?" Flynn interrupted, his voice a little brighter than it had been recently. Squint _Deux_ pointed ahead at the glowing mountain where Raz had been lost.

"Figures," Squint commented. "Where else would a lava creature come from?"

"So, if I may ask, _how_ did you...ah, come from the mountain?" Gupta inquired. In reply, Squint _Deux_ scooped up a clod of dirt, melting it in his paws to a mud-like substance, then began shaping it. "Someone made you?" the badger asked, awed. Squint _Deux_ abandoned the mud model and gave a nod.

"Who?" Flynn inquired. Squint _Deux_ pondered for another moment, before kneeling down and sticking one claw in the dirt to trace letters. The first one, 'R', intrigued Squint. The second letter, 'A', gave him an odd sense of dejavu. It was the 'Z' at the end that knocked him for a loop. The entire crew merely stared with hanging jaws at the name written quite clearly in the dirt. For a moment none of them could speak, but suddenly it made sense why the lava creature's name was _Squint Deux_.

Finally Squint managed to swallow. "_Okay, don't freak out; there are probably a lot of creatures out there named Raz. I'm sure a lot of people have been on that mountain._" he thought, trying to calm his racing heart and crush his hopes before they could grow too large. "Are they a girl or a boy?" he asked. Squint _Deux_ once again took on their shared 'ponder look', before flopping one ear over his face and lacing his fingers together beneath his chin, then batted his eyes. Squint's throat ran dry. "Girl," he muttered.

Squint _Deux_ flopped his ear back and gave a nod, ending the imitation. Gupta gave a snort. "Not like our's _actually_ does that," he muttered, lightly jabbing Silas in the ribs.

"What kind of animal is she?" Squint inquired. Squint _Deux_ thought deeply, poking his tongue out and glancing up at the sky, one eye closed.

"He really does look like you, Squint!" Flynn noted cheerily. Finally the molten buck held one paw high above his head, before jumping up several times, as if trying to go as high as he could. Then he raced over to a tree and climbed it, before shimmying along one of the branches, then dropped down so that his arms were hooked backwards around the branch, which was situated behind his shoulder blades. Then he raised both feet and extended them in a push kick. He repeated the kick several times, before dropping down from the branch and landing on one knee, holding both paws out in a 'tada!' fashion. His mouth was open wide in a smile, chest heaving for air. "Oh, oh!" Flynn exclaimed, bubbly attitude having returned as he held one flipper up excitedly.

"I bet she's a kangaroo!" he guessed eagerly. Squint _Deux_ pointed at him and gave a single nod, panting heavily. Such a revelation only shocked the crew a second time.

"You mean, our _mademoiselle_ lives?" Silas inquired. Squint _Deux_ stood properly and gave a shrug, before nodding once more.

"Raz is _alive_?" Squint muttered, glancing to the side as his emotions began to overflow. How could this be? He'd seen Raz get swallowed by lava with his _own eyes_. The mere memory made him shiver. But...Squint _Deux_, who was clearly _not_ an illusion, (unless he _and_ his brothers were insane with grief) proved their sister had somehow survived. A warm paw lay itself on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Squint _Deux_ smiling softly at him. The molten buck gestured at him with a paw, then indicated his own body.

Squint blinked in shock as he was hit with yet another revelation. "Raz made _you_...based on _me_?" he asked. Squint _Deux_ smiled widely and nodded, before throwing his arms around Squint's neck in a heartfelt hug. The pirate buck stiffened for a moment, taken aback by the new experience. The hug was quite warm physically, and he could feel a true sense of companionship, brotherhood, in a way, radiating off his lava version. Squint _Deux_ seemed so overjoyed to meet him, it actually touched the pirate's battle hardened heart. A tiny smile touched his face, expression softening for a moment.

Once Squint Deux had released him, the pirate buck wrapped a playful arm around his neck and held him by his side. "What do you guys think?" he asked his brothers. "We could take him in as my twin!" The rest of the pirates laughed and agreed, which in turn caused Squint _Deux_ to smile even wider. "So what possessed Razzie to make another me?" Squint inquired. Squint _Deux_ thought for a moment, before bending down and scooping up another clod of dirt, then took a few steps back and chucked it vaguely in Squint's direction. It came no where near hitting the pirate, but they could tell it was aimed at him.

"Uh...she missed, something?" Squint guessed. Squint _Deux_ gave a nod and pointed at the other buck. Squint placed a paw on his chest. "She missed _me_?" The lava buck nodded vigorously once more and gestured to the rest of the pirates. An excited smile spread across Squint's lips. "She misses _all_ of us?" he interpreted.

Squint _Deux_ nodded gleefully. Squint gave a joyous laugh and jumped over to Gupta, grabbing the badger's shoulders and shaking him vigorously. "Did you see that?" he asked eagerly. "She misses _us_! She's _alive_!" The pirates began to whoop and cheer with joy, throwing their newly made weapons into the air in a celebratory manner, spinning them in their paws and tossing them to one another in an energetic display. At the peak of their excitement, Squint threw his head back and let out an elated howl, his brothers following suit.

Squint _Deux_ simply smiled and spread his arms, enjoying a cool breeze sweeping over the island. Once the giddiness had worn off, Squint returned to his molten copy. "Where is Raz now?" he asked. Squint _Duex_ pointed once more at the glowing mountain in the distance. "The mountain? But, why would she still be _there_? I mean...why wouldn't she come look for us?" the pirate inquired.

Squint _Deux_ glanced around for a moment, before running over to a log and jumping behind it, then peeking over the top. "She's afraid?" Squint interpreted. "Of What?" Squint _Deux_ stood properly and shrugged, clearly at a loss. Suddenly one of his loose ears perked up, and he turned to the mountain.

"What is it?" Gupta asked. Squint _Duex_ pointed to Raz's name in the dirt, then to the mountain, and cupped his paws around his mouth, as though calling for someone.

"_Mademoiselle_ is calling you to the mountain?" Silas interpreted. Squint _Deux_ nodded, before motioning towards the mountain in a gesture that read '_I must go_'.

"Well, will you come back?" Squint asked. His lava copy nodded and sprinted over, hugging him once more. The pirate buck smiled and gave a chuckle, hugging him back for a moment. "Good. And one more thing; don't tell Raz that we're coming." Squint _Deux_ stepped back and tilted his head quizzically at the pirate, not understanding. "We don't wanna' stress her out, but we wanna' visit her." Squint explained.

"Think of it as a surprise party type of thing," Gupta encouraged.

"Oh yay, a party!" Flynn exclaimed excitedly, his bubbly demeanor having returned. Squint _Deux_ smiled and gave a nod, winked at the crew, before waving goodbye and speeding off.

* * *

**And that was chapter 5! I've been waiting a long time to bring in little Squint _Deux_, I just love him! I hope you guys enjoyed the happiness of this new chappie! Thank you to:**

**MBSAVfan1**

**for reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review and let me know what you thought of this one! Till next time! :D**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestroyer**


	6. Chapter 6

Flames Within

Raz soon spotted a small glow making it's way up the mountainside, and it wasn't long before Squint _Deux_ stood happily before her, just as always. "Hey there, mate; how was your run of the island?" Raz inquired, bending down and holding one of her palms out. Squint _Deux_ used it as a springboard to reach her shoulder, where he sat comfortably and let his legs dangle.

"_It was good,_" he replied telepathically, as that was the only way he could truly speak. As his creator, Raz automatically had such a bond with him, which was fortunate considering she hadn't quite figured out how to give him a regular speaking voice. But more often than not she would simply talk to him and hear his reply within her mind, which she rather fancied. It was nice to have the ability to carry a private conversation when the need arose. He was her first attempt at creatures like himself, so there were still some kinks to work out. "_I caught a lot of cool breezes!_" Raz chuckled and stood properly, gently scratching behind the lava buck's jaw.

"Ah yes, I know how much you like the wind," she replied, hopping back into her fortress. The molten walls pulsed with Raz's heartbeat, her power flowing through it like veins. Squint _Deux_ snuggled into her neck fondly, causing the kangaroo to grin. He was quite an affectionate creature, which wasn't so bad, considering _he_ was her only company.

"_Mistress_?"

"Aye, munchkin,"

"_You told me once that I was based on one of your brothers, right?_"

"Yep, he was the youngest of the bunch."

"_Well...could you tell me a little bit about them? About your life before you came to the mountain?_" Raz was taken aback by the question. She turned to look questioningly at Squint _Deux_, raising an eyebrow.

"You really wanna' know about all that?" she inquired. The lava rabbit shrugged.

"_Yes; I haven't seen very much of the world, in fact I haven't even explored our entire island. You told me you used to be a pirate, that you've sailed all over the world with your crew of mismatched brothers._" he replied telepathically, gently reaching back to grab Raz's ears and wrap them around himself. She'd noticed on multiple occassions that this action comforted the molten bunny, and so assumed that he was nervous about prying into her private life. Of course, if anyone owned the privaledge of learning her past, it was Squint _Deux_; he was going to be around for the rest of her lonely mountain life, and it would make things easier for her if he understood his creator's past. "There's just a lot I'd like to know," he finished, blinking innocently up at her with eyes the same shade as the original Squint. She smirked, thinking him rather cute all wrapped up in her ears, his front paws peeking over the top edge and his torso completely hidden.

"Well, everyone get's curious about the world event'ally," she replied, hopping towards the center lower deck's main den. It was where she'd acquired her new attire, and set up a rather comfy chair in the very center. Sitting down, she crossed one knee over the other and gently pulled Squint _Deux_ out of her ears, before sitting him on her top knee. The molten buck sat with his legs crossed, flame eyes focused solely on her. "Where to start," she muttered. "Perhaps anothah' island, similar in size to this one? Or maybe the continent itself before it broke up?"

Squint _Deux_'s eyes flickered with wonder. "_That sounds like a good story!_" he replied. "_How big was the continent? How did it break up? What _is_ a continent anyway_?" Raz laughed softly at his slew of questions.

"Well, it was actually my last adventah', but I suppose it'll do if ya' wanna' hear it." she conceded. She began to tell him about the violent tremors that had signified the beginning of what she assumed most land creatures had thought was the end of the world. The ocean had thrown a fit; her crew's iceberg had been tossed and pitched so much it made both Squint and Gupta seasick for a good half hour, which Raz had found plenty humor in. Then a series of enormous waves had battered the ship, thoroughly dousing the deck saveral times and forcing Gutt to tie the small members of the crew to the mast in an effort to keep them from washing off completely. "The ocean was actin' as though a terrible squall had come through, but the sky remained clear as, well, day." Raz described. "We weren't sure what in the world was happenin'." She went on to explain that soon an actual thunderstorm had rolled in, and _that_ had given them waves to _really_ complain about.

"It took a few hours, but event'ally we made it through to calmer waters," Raz assured the worried looking lava bunny. She told him about how she and her crew had come upon a group of animals that had been set adrift; a mammoth, a saber, and a pair of sloths. The saber stole the heart of the captain's first mate, which led to her crew's ultimate defeat and the death of said captain, which landed them all on the island which she now resided.

"_Was he the captain you said you weren't fond of?_" Squint _Deux_ asked once she'd finished the tale. Raz nodded, a displeased frown sliding into place. She leaned back into the chair and crossed her arms, lips curling distastefully.

"Good riddance of that _fool_ I say," she replied sourly. "He didn't undah'stand how to take care of someone with a gift like mine; I swear he coulda' killed me very easily." Squint _Deux_'s countenance turned fearful.

"_Are you alright, Mistress?_" he inquired. "_How badly did he injur you?_" The kangaroo smiled and gave a chuckle, patting his head.

"I'm fine, mate," she replied. "I fixed it all aftah' the captain was beaten."

"_What was his name?_" Squint _Duex_ asked.

"Captain Gutt," Raz replied. "Very unsavory person. Then again I also was one," she added with a shrug. "I used to carry an armory in my pouch and attack people with it," she snickered. Squint Deux grinned.

"_Why? You have enough power of your own to crush an army!_"

"Well, mean old Gutt made me keep it a secret; he wanted me as his big, secret weapon. But he didn't know that every year he kept me from practicin'," Raz explained, summoning a small flame into her palm, gazing at it sadly. "It would weaken my gift. My body would store the remaining power deep inside, so if I ever needed to use it, I would have to take the time to pull it out and strengthen it." Raz's mind flashed through all the painful years she'd spent on the cold sea, suffering as her inner heat dwindled at an agonizingly slow rate. The headband she'd fashioned was warm against her temples, it's more flexible extensions soothingly heating her ears. Her chest heaved a sigh, snug in its protective lava wrap.

"_I'm so sorry; if I had to go through that I think I'd just die. Surely you're a lot stronger than me,_" Squint _Deux_ consoled. Raz chuckled dryly.

"Oh believe me, you would _definitely_ die," she replied. "You remembah' what I told ya' about watah', right little one?" she asked. Squint _Deux_ nodded enthusiastically.

"_Never go near it; water hurts people like you and I. I'll disintegrate._" he replied. Raz smiled softly and stroked his ears.

"Very good, mate," she praised.

"_Mistress, do you ever wish your brothers could come visit?_" Squint _Deux_ inquired, tilting his head. Raz blinked in surprise, before taking a moment to think.

"A little," she admitted. "But it's too dangerous for them here. Not that _they_ would care about that," she added with a smirk. Squint _Deux_ smiled softly.

"_They must love you a lot,_" he said. Raz gently took him into her embrace, hugging him to her chest.

"Yeah...I guess you could say that."

* * *

A black sludge crept along the ground, oozing silently over the dirt towards what appeared to be a potential new tool. A primate's body lay dead and stiff; the remnants of a once great and strong creature. Yes, this would make for a very good comeback, it knew right away.

* * *

**And that concludes chapter 6! We got to see a little interaction between Raz and Squint _Deux_, and it seems as though the villain is arising...What did you all think? Thank you to:**

**96DarkAngel**

**MBSAVfan1**

**fir reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review and tell me what you all thought of is one! Till chat chappie! :D**

**In Christ Alone,**

**KaylaDestroyer**


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